[Treatment of the peripheral vascular diseases with prostaglandin]

The clinical usefulness of prostaglandin derivatives was reviewed for the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis obliterans, Buerger's disease, Raynaud's disease, and collagen disease etc. PGE1 was initially used for this purpose, however, it had to be infused intra-arterially or intravenously for hours. PGE1 incorporated in lipid microsphere (Lipo PGE1) was made for one-shot use and the targeting drug delivery because the lipid microsphere is easily taken up by some inflammatory cells. Lipo PGE1 was revealed to be effective to improvement of considerably large ischemic ulcer and pain. Beraprost sodium (PGI2 derivative) was produced for oral use, and has been widely used. The effectiveness was similar to Lipo PGE1, but the complications such as hypotension, headache, and numbness were more common in PGI2.